Despite currently being in closed beta all work on Star Wars: Attack Squadrons has ended, with the following brief message appearing on the game’s Facebook page:

We want to thank all of the fans who participated in the closed beta of Star Wars: Attack Squadrons.

After much consideration, we have decided to cease development so that we can focus on other Star Wars game experiences.

We truly appreciate the time you spent engaging in the beta.

No reason is given for the cancellation but the PC-only game has enjoyed a lukewarm response ever since it was announced, and the response from those in the beta – footage of which is shown below – has been equally unimpressed.

The game always seemed depressingly low in ambition given the classic status of the X-Wing and TIE Fighter series from the ’90s, or even the more arcade-orientated Rogue Squadron franchise.

Attack Squadrons has nothing to do with EA though and was instead being handled entirely by Disney, via new studio Area 52 Games. As with many movie franchises mobile and online-only games are considered a separate licence – and in terms of Star Wars Disney has kept those for itself.

There still wasn’t necessarily anything stopping EA from making a space combat simulator of its own, but now there’s no competition from Disney itself if they did want to make an X-Wing follow-up.

And although nothing’s been announced we’re certain that EA has noted the enormous success of Star Citizen on Kickstarter and so the news of Attack Squadron’s demise could bring a true X-Wing sequel closer than it’s been in decades.

Mind you EA also holds the rights to Wing Commander, of which Star Citizen is a spiritual successor, and they haven’t done anything with that either…